Author's Note: The following chapter is rated a solid "T" as it depicts intense situations and upsetting violence. The mystery will continue to unfold after this, but I'm posting this as a warning to those with younger readers that Parental Guidance may be warranted. Nothing gory or anything like that, but certainly a scary and intense chapter and not one in which all of our characters come up smelling like roses although I don't think I'm portraying anyone as completely evil either. Our characters are all in a certain kind of a vise for sure. Tell me a little about what you think of our characters at this point in time? Lucas? Elizabeth? Jeanette? Nathan? What do you want to see? I look forward to your feedback and thank you so much for all of the kind notes and reviews I've received. You keep me writing. I'm excited to show you where this story goes!

"Good morning, Chéri."

The sultry voice of Jeanette Aucoin came up from behind as Lucas sat at a simple table next to the stove in his humble Bachelor's cabin. Bouchard had moved into the place seven years prior and had entertained guests only one other time since he'd been there when Henry and Joseph spent the day helping him clear a particularly tenacious crop of honeysuckle that was encroaching upon his backyard. He'd arranged for Gustave to cater their dinner, not because he couldn't cook, but because he didn't have the tools and supplies on hand to make more than a simple meal. But beyond that, it was just a place to sleep. His life was in town, his friends were in town, his love was in town -until they weren't.

So, despite the circumstances behind her being there, Aucoin's voice brought a smile. He rose and turned to her, admiring her beauty in a most platonic way as she leaned on the doorpost for his bedroom door, dressed in one of Elizabeth's nightgowns. "Bonjour, ma chère. Did you sleep well?" he said, sipping his tea as he stood and watched her sashay into the room.

"I did. Compared to where I've been sleeping, that big, comfortable bed was almost like Heaven." She stopped in front of him. "Of course, if you would have joined me…."

Lucas chuckled and returned to his seat. "I wouldn't do it back then when we were together. Why would I do it now?"

She shrugged, then sighed. "You can't blame a girl for trying," she replied, ambling over to his kitchen sink.

"I asked Joseph to bring breakfast over while you were sleeping. Your plate is being kept warm in the oven. And there are teacups in the pantry. There's only me here, so I'm the one who uses them but help yourself to anything you want."

"That sounds wonderful. I am famished."

A few minutes later, Aucoin was seated at the table beside him, eating while Lucas continued to look at work papers. Finally, she had enough of the silence.

"So, is today the day?"

"The day?" Bouchard asked.

"You get rid of me?"

"As if such a thing were possible," he teased.

"Touché," she smirked.

"If you're referring to your transfer, that happens tomorrow. I know the Meteorological Service is forecasting rain, but it should still be fine. The Superintendent at the jail up there, Superintendent Walker, needed to make a few more security preparations for your stay, given the trouble we had here."

"Ah," she said, sipping her own glass of tea. "I'll bet you'll be glad."

Lucas shook his head. "I'll be glad when whoever is trying to harm you is behind bars. I wish you would tell me or Park what you know. We're only trying to help."

"I know you are, darling. But it's for your good that I remain silent – for all of ours. She'd kill you and me if she was exposed."

"She?"

Jeanette bit her lip and then grinned slightly. "She. He. There's more than one. The woman is the main one I spoke to, though he wrote the checks."

"So, they're a couple?"

Jeanette did not respond and instead reached for one of his papers.

"Why do you deal with all of this so much if you don't enjoy it?"

"Who says I don't enjoy it?" Lucas asked.

She looked at him and raised her eyebrow.

He grinned. "Because it needs to get done. When you're the governor, there are thousands of voices calling to you, some with petitions, some with demands, and some with questions. My office gets several hundred letters a week from all over the province – politicians to paupers. And, I try to represent them all."

"Do you ever regret it?"

"What? Running for governor and losing everything I love?"

She nodded.

"On a personal basis, yes. Every moment I live. But I know it was the right thing. If I hadn't have run, Hope Valley would be drained of water and would likely no longer be a town. As for Elizabeth, I guess that things are how they were supposed to work out there as well."

"Why do you say that?"

"I don't know because that's how things are. I believe I made her happy for a time, but evidently, I wasn't enough, and, well, I knew happiness myself as well, so although it did not end as I had hoped, I will always cherish the time we had. For a time, I felt like I belonged – really belonged."

Jeanette nodded. "That would be nice. I wish I knew that feeling. You still love her, don't you?"

Bouchard stood to refill his teacup. "Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds Or bends with the remover to remove: O no! It is an ever-fixed mark That looks on tempests and is never shaken."

"I take that as yes?" Jeanette replied.

"Until my dying breath," Lucas replied.

Jeanette looked toward him. "You should tell her. You should let her know how you feel."

"For what purpose? I think she knows."

"Maybe she doesn't. Maybe she's afraid that she can't go back and so she stays with that stiffneck."

Lucas chuckled. "Nathan is not a stiffneck."

"No? Well, he's not half the man that you are – trust me. Lucas, you are the best man…no, the best human being I've ever met. You are generous and kind and good…and you always treated me like a lady, not a harlot's daughter, and I will add, quite easy on the eyes…"

Lucas sighed, "If you keep up with the compliments, I'm going to wonder what you're up to."

"I'm being serious. Any woman would count herself blessed to have you for her beau, and Elizabeth Thornton is just a stupid ninny for leaving you and going out with that dope."

Lucas raised his eyebrows and chuckled, allowing her to talk since few ever criticized Nathan in his presence.

"She should be ashamed."

"Jeanette, they seem happy. She made her choice."

"Well, things could change."

"I doubt it," he replied. "It appears I've inherited Longfellow's sorrows and will wind up alone."

She shook her head. "Whoever that is," she said. "I'm just saying, don't give up. There could still be hope, and you deserve to be happy – and if she is what makes you happy, then maybe it will happen."

Lucas's face grew serious as he sat back and gathered up his papers. "I wish I could believe that, but this dreamer is all out of dreams. Dreams are the things of fools – at least for me. But let's talk about you."

"Me?"

"Yes, what do you think about Park."

"The detective?"

"Do you know of any other men called Park?"

She smirked. "He's nice. A real Valentino. Gives as good as he gets. I like him. But he's out of my league."

"I don't think so."

"No?"

"No."

She picked up a piece of toast and used it to sop up some egg and then shrugged noncommittally. "Given I'm stuck in the slammer for the next twenty, it's probably a non-issue."

"Perhaps. But maybe you could be friends."

She looked at him. "You're just saying this, so I'll talk to him."

"No. Although talking would be nice. But no. Everyone needs a friend, including you. And while I may not love you in the way we both at one time hoped I could, I still care and want to see you taken care of."

"You're my friend, aren't you?" she asked innocently.

He looked her in the eyes earnestly, then took her hand. "Sadly, yes…" then he winked.

Jeanette smacked him, "Oh!"

Lucas smiled. "Finish up breakfast. I'm going to go get cleaned up, and then we can head into town and make doubly sure that the Superintendent at Eagle Creek still says things are a go."

Newton stood calmly grazing next to Elizabeth's rowhouse as his rider stood inside, discussing with Thornton what she had called him over for that morning. Rising early, she had requested he speak with her before rounds, but Nathan had delayed, avoiding and perhaps dreading what was to come.

"We need to talk about what is going on with us," she said, starting the conversation before he'd even shut the door.

"Alright."

"I know that things have been tense in town the past few days, but I have sensed you're angry with me for speaking with Lucas, and I need to know if my feeling is true – because I feel like you have been harsh with him considering the circumstances and harsh with me and I feel like you're trying to control me, which is just never going to work."

Grant stood through her explanation without expression, waiting for her to finish. Once she had he acknowledged her feelings were true.

"You're right. I'm angry. I'm angry that he brought her to town after all of the issues she caused before. I'm angry that this town has been put in danger by his actions, angry that the jailhouse was damaged in a fire, and angry that you insist on interjecting yourself in the situation, even after what she did to you and after I told you not to."

"And you're angry I'm speaking with Lucas."

"I'm angry you're speaking with Lucas."

Thornton paused. So, there it was. "And why, may I ask?"

"Because I don't think it's appropriate."

"What?"

"He is your former fiancé, and I am your boyfriend. You owe me the respect to give him a wide birth instead of spending so much time with him."

"You never felt that way when I was engaged to him, and you were the one I was spending time with."

"That was different."

"How so?"

"You were Allie's teacher."

"Nathan, our interactions were not all strictly about Allie. We were friends and Lucas never begrudged us of that. But now, Lucas is our governor…and he's my friend, which you knew when we started dating. You shouldn't be complaining about it now."

"But I think there's more there. At least, I know there is with him."

Elizabeth shut her mouth at his accusation, given this was the second time in so many days that the statement had been made. Could it be true?

" I think he still loves you, and any encouragement on your end is just making matters worse."

"Nathan, I'm not encouraging him."

"I've watched you. I saw you embracing him in his office. I see the tender looks and touches. That wasn't in my imagination."

"This is ridiculous."

"It's not. When you told me you weren't in love with me, I accepted it. I tried to move on. You decided to be with him, and he seemed to make you very happy. But then, as your wedding grew closer, things seemed to change. I thought maybe getting to know him had shown you some things about him that weren't good. I knew he was into dirty dealings in Louisiana. And right then, I knew he wasn't good enough…"

"What?!"

"He isn't good enough for you, Elizabeth. He spent all his time down there with gamblers and…well, people like Jeanette Aucoin. Did you know her mother was a streetwalker?"

Elizabeth raised her chin. "As a matter of fact, I did, just as I know your father was an embezzler. I didn't judge you over that. Nathan, I don't owe you any explanation over how my time is spent."

"You owe me your loyalty."

"And you have had it – freely given, not of debt because that's not love. Love is built on trust. Now, if you think that you can't handle allowing me to be who I am and see who I want – respecting that you can trust me not to betray you…" Like I did him? Her inner thoughts challenged. She paused.

"I want you to stop seeing him."

"My answer is no."

"Then what now? We break up?"

Elizabeth stepped forward. "That is not why I called you here. I called you here to talk. But given what has come out in this conversation, perhaps…"

Grant's expression sank, and he looked at her through wounded yet angry eyes. "I have to go."

"Nathan…"

"I'm going to take Allie up to Rock Creek to stay with Mom and Dad. As long as Bouchard is in town playing his games and chasing murderers, it doesn't feel safe for her to be here," he said as he opened the door. "Goodbye, Mrs. Thornton. I won't bother you again."

Grant sprinted down the stairs and mounted Newton before Elizabeth had even reached the door. She stood and watched from the door as he rode away, torn between a desire for peace between them and yet feeling something else- something painful and yet she knew it wasn't just due to the current breech in their relationship. There was something present there that she dared not embrace and while she felt sad over Nathan, she knew it was not her relationship with him that was the cause.

While Nathan was speaking with Elizabeth, another man in red rode into town on a majestic animal, slowing briefly as he passed the jail before making his way to the Judge's office, where Bill Avery sat reviewing a box of documents that had just been sent his way from a source in Union City. He was hot and heavy on Hagerty's trail. The door opened, and Bill looked up, a congenial yet wary smile appearing on his face since a visit from his old colleague rarely meant good news.

"Superintendent Hargreaves. What brings you out today?"

"Good morning, Judge Avery. I heard there had been an incident involving Jeanette Aucoin and the Hope Valley jail. I happened to be nearby and thought I'd stop by and see if everything is okay."

Bill nodded, offering Andrew a seat. "It seems to be. The damage done to the jail is minimal, and I've arranged for Aucoin to be moved from here to Eagle Creek. Walker will take custody of her tomorrow morning, the last I heard."

"I see. Well, it's good she'll be out of town. I was surprised to hear the Governor intervened here. Are we sure he's on the up and up?"

"Lucas? Absolutely. He's just trying to keep her safe while investigating a hunch that James Malory's death might not have been an accident."

"Really?" Hargreaves said, furrowing his brow. "And why would he think that?"

"He received a letter written three days before Malory died, and he in no way appeared to be a man about to take his own life. At first, I was a bit skeptical, but the more we've unearthed, the more I'm convinced that he's right. And, of course, Jeanette Aucoin would be a witness to it, and she too was injured in prison."

"I hadn't heard. So you think someone at the Women's Reformatory and at Granville is dirty?"

"I think someone outside the prison system has some leverage over those inside. What kind of leverage, I don't know. Jeanette's not talking. But we are gathering clues along the way. Unfortunately, until there is something substantial, we can't pass it to the Mounties."

"So, Nathan Grant is not involved?"

"No. Not yet, at least. Lucas Bouchard essentially commandeered the jail to house Jeanette, and since that point, he's been a little less than happy about being anywhere near this case, especially once the jail caught fire. But at least he was able to help you the other day."

Hargreaves looked confused. "The other day?"

"Yes. When he went out to Buxton….to help investigate the train robbery?"

Andrew scrunched his face. "Investigate? There wasn't really an investigation. Witnesses saw who did it and we sent a group out to pick them up – a father and son team."

Bill frowned. "You mean you didn't ask Nathan to help with some case in Buxton about a train robbery?"

The superintendent shook his head. "I haven't spoken to Nathan Grant in probably ten months or so. In case you didn't know it, I'm not his biggest fan."

"I never noticed," Bill said wryly. "I wonder why he went out there, then? And why he lied about what he was doing?"

"I suppose you'll have to ask him that. Knowing Grant, he was up to no good."

"Now, Andrew, you know better than that. Whatever may have happened at Fort Clay, it was seven years ago, and he's proven himself to be a strong and faithful Mountie ever since."

"Maybe. But you don't know what I know, Bill. He's not as squeaky clean as you'd think."

"Who is? Besides, I'm sure if he felt a need to lie about why he was going there, there was a good and logical reason. I'll just have to ask him what that reason was. "

Hargreaves stood. "Well, if you find yourself needing my help…"

"I won't hesitate to ask. Thanks, Andrew. I appreciate your stopping by."

The Superintendent nodded and returned his hat to his head, leaving the Judge in his office both curious and a bit on edge. Why did Nathan Grant go to Buxton?

"Rosie…I'm home….Rosie?"

Lee Coulter walked through the front door of his home after spending the past two hours with Maisey Hickam and negotiating a deal whereby he could open up a new site for Coulter Lumber in Benson Hills. Now, he returned home so he could break the news to Rosemary as to the terms. "Rosie?" he called again.

"We're back here…" he finally heard, stepping through the kitchen and looking into the backyard where his wife and daughter were sitting in the grass making what appeared to be a sandcastle in the small toy sandbox they'd installed for Goldie, using water and drinking glasses.

Stepping out the back door, Coulter extended his arms and moved to hug his wife while their little girl slopped sand all over the yard.

"You're home early," Rosie said. "Everything okay?"

Lee nodded nervously. "Yes. I just got back from speaking with Maisey."

"Oh. And did she finally come around to seeing that Hope Valley is where we belong?"

Lee responded with a nervous grin.

"Oh, Lee! You were supposed to talk her into allowing us to stay here."

"I know, but the more she showed me, the more I became convinced that her way is really the best."

"Best for who?"

"Everyone. Honey, Benson Hills is closest to the new highway and, therefore, receives far more than we could ever afford here in Hope Valley for their community. I know she told us about their roads and school projects, but she shared with me today about a new community recreation center they're building, where there will be swimming…"

"We have hot springs."

"…and tennis courts…"

"…well, we don't have that…but we could build."

"… and a large amphitheater where they will stage plays, and musicals and the ballet…"

Rosemary's eyes widened. "The ballet, too?"

"Yes. Can you imagine Goldie acting in some children's musical…"

"…or standing in her tutu with little pointe shoes?" Rosemary asked, looking at Lee with wonderment.

Coulter smiled wide, shaking his head, then Rosemary's smile faded.

"But our friends…Elizabeth…"

"Honey, you can still see Elizabeth. It's only a half hour away. We need to think about what's best for the workers, what's best for Goldie…what's best for me."

"And your job as mayor?"

"It was only always temporary anyway," he responded. "They'll get someone new."

"You think so?"

"Of course. If nothing else, Bill will do it. He'll complain, but he'll do it. What do you say?"

Rosemary looked into his eyes. It was clearly something that meant a lot to him, and he yielded to her constantly. Could she deny him his wish? Her eyes traveled around the home she'd had the past decade, and she sighed. "I'll break it to Elizabeth."

"Really!" Coulter responded.

"So, why are we going to Grandma and Grandpa again?" Allie asked as she and Nathan rode on horseback across the prairie and through the wood to Rock Creek, where he grew up.

"Has to do with the jailhouse fire and the fact that the people who did it are still at large. I don't consider it safe for you to be there."

"Or you?"

"I'm a Mountie. Things are never particularly safe for me. But I can handle myself. Little girls…"

"Young women…

Nathan nodded. "That's right. Young women like you need to be protected."

"What about Mrs. Thornton...um...Elizabeth and Little Jack?"

"They'll be protected. It's my job."

"Well, she's also your girlfriend, and that makes her a target."

"Um…not anymore."

Allie stopped riding and looked at her adoptive father. "What? Since when?"

"Since earlier this morning."

"Did you have a fight?"

Nathan sighed. "It wasn't like that. We had a disagreement, yes, but it's much deeper than that. I don't really want to talk…"

"I'm sorry. I know how you felt about her. Is it about Mr. Bouchard? And how she still has feelings for him?"

Now Nathan stopped. "What makes you think that?"

"Because. If you love somebody, how do you suddenly fall out of love? She was going to marry him and they were happy until suddenly, they weren't."

The two picked up pace again and continued the path.

"At the time, I and all of the kids at school thought that he broke up with her because he was going to be a Governor and she wouldn't come with him. But we found out later that she was the one who broke up with him."

"Which probably means she didn't love him like she thought she did."

"Or she was just scared," Allie replied. "If you remember when it all happened, it was just a couple of weeks before getting married – and you remember what happened when she got married before. She only had a couple of weeks left with Mountie Jack at that point. Maybe she just became fearful."

"And backed out?"

"It probably felt safe for her to do it. Though I know, she felt like it was his destiny. But Mr. Bouchard was never about that. I don't think he wanted to go I think he had to go. And, well, I don't think enough time passed after she broke up with him to where she started going with you."

Grant remained silent knowing he'd at first pushed himself into her life, he thought to help her from making a mistake with Lucas but even he questioned that motivation. "Yeah, well, we did what we did."

"And it didn't work for you. I guess I am saying this to say maybe it's not your fault or anything you did. It just happened."

Nathan frowned. "I thought you wanted us together. You used to cry about it."

"When I was little, that's true. And if you make each other happy and you're meant to be, I'm still for it. But Dad, you and Elizabeth haven't seemed happy in a while. You're grumpy, and she seems tense. If Mr. Bouchard wasn't around, maybe it would be different, but I think maybe the reason things aren't working is because she does like-like you, but she love-loves him enough to have wanted to marry him if all of those bad things with Governor Balfour and Mr. Montague hadn't happened and Mr. Bouchard had to run for governor to save us. It's what Mrs. Thornton calls a tragedy. Nobody's at fault, but you can't choose who you love. Like Romeo and Juliet."

"Who died in the end."

"Well, I certainly hope it doesn't go that far!" she replied.

"Yeah, let's hope not. Let's change the subject, maybe talk about something interesting like…I don't know, tadpoles."

"That's a boy's topic. Let's talk about fashion."

"Fashion?"

"Yes, specifically updating my dresses to help me get ready for college."

Nathan made a face. "I'd rather talk about tadpoles.

Later that evening, Nathan arrived back in Hope Valley just as Lucas was leaving the Queen of Hearts. Parker Scott had just updated him on the latest information he'd received about Walden and, after speaking with Jeanette, was convinced that he had nothing to do with Lucas's shooting.

"She stopped working with him about eight months prior to all that, so I doubt he was involved."

Lucas listened, and his gut said there was some connection, but Scott dissuaded him.

"Bill's been trying to look at the Garrity angle, but he's run into interruptions all day long."

"Maybe we can start there tomorrow," Lucas said. "After we get back from Eagle Creek."

Now standing outside his automobile, Bouchard was about to climb up into the vehicle when he saw Nathan's shadow out of the corner of his eye. He turned.

"Constable."

Nathan pulled back on the reins. "Lucas. Where's Aucoin?"

"Back at the cabin with the guards. The Pinkertons sent in some reinforcements earlier today. I've been working late with Park, going through the information he came up with."

"Anything yet?" Nathan asked.

"Well, we thought we had a link to Wyman Walden, of all people."

Grant stiffened. "Really?"

"Yes. Seems Jeanette worked with him, she didn't' just investigate him. That's where she picked up the bootlegging."

"For Shaw?"

"Yes. We believe that preceded her and may even be something that Walden was using. Park doesn't think he's otherwise involved…though I just have a feeling."

"Well, I'm not sure what he'd stand to gain, given he's in jail. And as far as Malory's death, if he had that kind of sway, I think he'd use it for himself."

"You're probably right," Lucas replied. "Have you been gone all day?"

"Yes. I took Allie to Rock Creek to stay with Mom and Dad. Until things die down around here, I don't feel it's safe."

"Probably not a bad idea," Bouchard responded. "Thankfully, you won't have to wait long. There was a delay in taking Jeanette up to Eagle Creek, but now that's settled, Superintendent Walker is going to come down here with some of his Mounties and their wagon, and we're all going to take her to the jail."

"Why wasn't I asked?" Grant replied.

"Because you've not taken any interest in the case, perhaps? Bill made the arrangements. At this point, I think the least involvement from this subdistrict, the better…at least if we want things to die down in Hope Valley."

"I still should have been consulted. I am the town's Constable."

"Consider yourself consulted then," he responded. "I would think you would be glad."

"I'll be glad when you're gone."

Lucas lowered his head. "I didn't plan on any of this happening, and for what it's worth, I'm sorry. After we get back tomorrow night, I'm going to finish up here and then head back to Capital City with Edwin. So we won't be around much longer."

"That's probably best," Nathan said.

Lucas simply nodded. "Good evening, Constable. I'm going home."

Nathan returned Newton to his stalls and began the walk home, considering stopping by Elizabeth's to let her know he was back safe but stopping when he saw Rosemary standing with Elizabeth on Thornton's front porch and heard part of their conversation.

"Even though it's hurtful, I know it's the right thing," Elizabeth stated. Rosemary touched her arm, and then Nathan turned to his house and went inside. Once he was in there, he finally felt the freedom to release some of his pent-up emotions. It had been a terrible week, and he had behaved in ways that showed how bitter he was feeling about Elizabeth pulling away towards Bouchard – still. He honestly had no idea what he would do next. Could he stay in town if they reconciled? Why couldn't Lucas just go away?

Reaching into his cabinet for a teacup, Grant noticed a whiskey bottle he kept on hand not for drinking but for colds and decided that tonight it would serve its usual purpose. He reached up and grabbed it then filled his teacup halfway full with the intoxicating brew. Lifting it to his lips, he felt the burn of the liquid across his tongue, and then, as it rolled down his throat, he closed his eyes, wishing the stress and anger inside would wash away with it. He sat down with cup and bottle and stared into the empty room. What a waste his time in Hope Valley had been, he thought. He wished he'd never gone.

In a cabin in the woods, Jimmy Hagerty hung up the telephone and turned toward his partner. Everything had been set up according to plan.

"The Pinkerton is in place, and Bouchard's agenda is to leave in the morning."

"Are you certain this is the only way, Jimmy? You promised me that nobody else would be hurt."

"Unless you want to go to Prison, it's the only way."

"But nobody else was supposed to get hurt."

"Malory wasn't supposed to talk either, but it happened. Listen, little sister, this is the only way, but we have a very narrow window to get it down. And now that we've taken the next step, there's no turning back. It has to be done tonight. Now, are you going to call, or am I?"

The hour was late, and Molly Sullivan had just sat down with some needlepoint when the exchange rang at the Mercantile. Quickly setting her needles to the side, she picked up the line. "Hope Valley Exchange, how may I direct your call."

"Yes, Hope Valley. This is Rock Creek. I have a call from his parent's place for Nathan Grant. Would you please patch it through?"

Nathan's parents calling this late at night? I hope nothing's wrong. Molly thought with concern.

"Hope Valley? Are you there? Molly?"

"Oh…yes, sorry Diane. I was distracted. I'll patch it through."

In his rowhouse, Nathan was finally beginning to feel the effects of the liquor as its warmth filled his body and clouded his mind. He was beginning to doze off when the telephone startled him awake. He stumbled to reach it.

"Yeah…um…hello…yeah, Molly?"

Molly paused only briefly but then fulfilled her job. "Yes, Nathan. I have a call from Rock Creek on the line. Can I send it through?"

Grant set down his teacup, concerned that something might be wrong with one of his parents. "Yes. Sure…hello?"

"Hello, Nathan…"

The female voice sent a shiver down Nathan's spine, and he froze for just a moment.

"Can you hear everything, Nathan?" Molly said.

Grant snapped to. "Um, yeah, Molly. You can hang up." Upon hearing the click he returned to the caller. "What do you want? Why did she say Rock Creek."

"Because that's where we are – in your parent's cabin, to be precise."

Anger rose within him. "So help me if you hurt them…"

"We won't hurt them as long as you cooperate. Bouchard is getting closer and closer to the truth, and we need to act. He's leaving tomorrow to go to Eagle Creek."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I have sources everywhere. The new Pinkertons he received today – his reinforcements…well, one of them works for us. So, trust me, we have ways."

"What do you want from me?"

"We want you to eliminate Lucas Bouchard - completely. He's not going to stop unless we do."

"You want me to kill him?"

"It's the only way."

"No! I'm not going to do it. You'll never get away with it."

"You're mistaken, Nathan. You will do it – not because we're blackmailing you over some even that happened at Fort Clay but because if you don't, it will be very costly to everyone you love."

Nathan heard a scuffle and then someone ordering another person to speak through the phone.

"Son…"

"Dad! What…?"

"Son, there's four men at the cabin holding us at gunpoint, then this woman and her brother. I think they're serious about killing us if you don't do what they want."

"Dad!" Allie's anxious voice was heard in the background and then a man's voice.

"That's enough. Gag her."

if Nathan could have leaped through the wires to get to her, he absolutely would, even if it would have cost him his life. Instead, he stood and listened.

"He's leaving tomorrow. Your job is to make sure that he never reaches his destination alive. If you tell anyone what you're doing, your family is dead. If they find out, they're dead. You take care of Bouchard, and in the chaos, we'll deal with Alcoin, and once everyone is silenced, we will return your daughter to you unharmed and let your parents live in peace. You do not get a vote. This is how it's going to be. Again, note we have our sources everywhere. Involve nobody, or you will be seen, and they will die. Act quickly. I will be listening to the news to hear you've completed the job. Goodbye."

Grant stood in his living room holding the receiver in his hand, motionless for the next ten minutes – thoughts of his parent's voices and then of Allie's anguished cry echoing in his head, and for a moment, all he could think of was how to rescue them, without doing the unthinkable. But then the words of the caller, "I have sources everywhere," came through loud and clearly. If he spoke to anyone, even Bill, they were likely to find out, and Allie and his parents would die. These weren't the types to mess with. They were from an old street gang pedigree. They would make him pay for any disobedience. But could he do what they asked?

He resented Bouchard and, yes, felt his life would be immensely better if he just went away…but to kill him? In cold blood? He finally hung up the phone and then went to refill his glass, glancing briefly at two photos in frames on an end table by the window. One was of Elizabeth and Little Jack. It was taken at the local fair in Jameson earlier that Summer when things felt lighter and happier than they had for the past several weeks. And the other was of him and Allie – standing by the Christmas Tree in town when she was eleven years old. She was holding a pinecone, and he could remember her sweet smile like it was just yesterday. That was the year that he turned down the promotion that all this blackmail was associated with, the year they decided to make Hope Valley their home. How he wished he could turn back the hands of time.

Tears filled Nathan Grant's eyes as a lifetime of regrets passed through his mind, but adopting Allie was the one thing he did not regret, even for a minute. He would do anything for her, anything to keep her safe. Yes, he would even do that.

Downing the rest of his drink, Grant walked to his sink and bent down, reaching into the cabinet below for a small chest he kept for minor maintenance inside his house. He fumbled around for a moment and then stopped, his mind formulating a plan. Then he picked up a small, handheld, hack saw that he'd purchased the year before to help his daughter with some crafts. Taking it out of the box, he felt the tooth, making a small cut in his hand as he did. He then shut the chest and stood. Walking into his bedroom, he grabbed a dark jacket and a hat, then took off for Bouchard's house to commit an act of treason.

The next morning, Lucas and Jeanette met Park at the Queen of Hearts, sharing one last breakfast before the Superintendent was to arrive. The Pinkertons continued to keep guard, though one of them mysteriously took ill and had to be relieved. He was seen leaving town by Mike Hickam, who thought it was strange.

As for Nathan, he didn't sleep a wink, sitting by the telephone to make sure that Allie was okay and struggling with what he did. There was no other choice, was there? he thought, but the only answer he received was that of a guilty conscience Murderer. Murderer. Murderer.

At 11:15, Walker arrived with his transport wagon and Mounted Police guards. Eagle Creek MP would take it from there.

Bill joined his old friend, and he and the governor discussed logistics while Park stayed with Jeanette.

"Guess this is the end of the road for you and me," Aucoin said, her flirtatious manner dropped to where she was just Jeanette.

"Oh, maybe."

She laughed. "Oh, is this where you're going to tell me you'll wait for me – no matter how long it takes?"

Parker shook his head. "No. But I would like to write, maybe visit from time to time if that'd be okay."

Jeanette smiled, genuinely touched. "I'd like that, Mr. Parker Scott."

Upstairs, Edwin was on the phone with Union City 450, only this time, Florence broke protocol and picked up the phone again after she hung up.

"I'm telling you, I can't stop him," Edwin stated.

"It's imperative that you must," a female voice replied.

"Why is it so important? She's going to be out of your and my hair forever after this afternoon. Just let the woman be."

"You know that's not possible, and you know why. Edwin, I reached out to you in order to have an inside view of the governor's world, and you've done a great many things for me. But I need you to do this one more thing. Tell him he should let her go without him."

"I'm telling you, he won't listen. I've tried to pull him away from her, but the governor is driven to protect her, and until he sees she's safe behind bars in Eagle Creek, he won't let it go."

The woman paused. "Then you'll have to go with him. Keep him from having too deep of a conversation with that Superintendent."

"Ah yes, the Superintendent. How did you say you know him?"

"It doesn't matter. I need you to travel with Bouchard to control what he hears. It's important."

Edwin frowned. "Well, alright. Fine. But this is our last job together. We have gone from information sharing to actually obstructing justice, and I want no part of it."

"I can assure you. This will be your last job."

"Alright. Then I'll just run down and join him. Don't worry about providing cover. I have plenty to talk to him about. I'm professional that way."

Edwin hung up the line, as did Florence, but the caller held on a little longer before hanging up.

"It's handled," she said.

"Good," Jimmy replied. "And nice touch getting Mitchell to go. Tie up as many loose ends and witnesses as we can. Things are working out just fine."

Jeanette Aucoin was led out to the wagon in handcuffs, turning to Lucas before boarding and smiling. "Thank you, Chére!"

"Henry, where's your car parked?" Lucas asked.

"The side of the saloon."

"Okay, would you take Bill and the Superintendent, and I'll ride with Park?"

Henry was about to answer when Edwin entered the scene.

"Hold on, just a minute! Just a minute!"

Lucas rolled his eyes. "What is it, Edwin?"

"We need to discuss what we're going to tell the press."

Lucas shrugged. "We can do so when I get back."

"No, that'll be too late. I need to release a statement before the evening papers. Let's talk on the way, and I can wire it in."

Bouchard sighed. "Fine. You can come along."

"Well, if Edwin is riding with you, I think I'll ride with Henry," Parker replied, getting a disgusted look from Mitchell after he said it.

Lucas shook his head. "That's fine. You ride with them, and we'll catch up in Eagle Creek. Is everyone ready to go?"

"We are," Walker said.

"I'll go get my car," Henry responded.

Then, the caravan was off

Nathan sat in the dark inside his house, staring at a photo album filled with memories of his life in Hope Valley, trying to recall any good to soothe the shame he felt inside. But all he could think of at the moment was Lucas and how their relationship had gone during the past seven years he'd known him. He recalled when they first met, how he told him that he wasn't a good fit and how he criticized him to Elizabeth over his love of books. She had always defended him, much to Nathan's consternation. He recalled how gently he'd treated Nathan's father, Archie Grant when he himself acted only in anger and judgment – and how he was right. The old man was worth a second chance, and Nathan was glad he had given it. Then, he recalled their rivalry over Elizabeth. Bouchard could be cocky at times, but so could he, and now that both had the opportunity to date her, Lucas had been the better match, not only in the fact that he had been patient with her, allowing her to determine her own pace, but that he'd allowed a relationship with Nathan without even a hint of jealousy – a kindness that Grant betrayed. I should have told him she was having doubts. Maybe they could have worked it out. But he didn't. No matter how much he told himself he was doing this for Elizabeth, Grant knew that he was doing it every bit as much or more for himself. He had seen a crack in the relationship and continued to give her opportunities to widen it, pushing her just a little harder until she broke and set Lucas free. It wasn't very gentlemanly at the time, but it was what he had done – just another action to add to the pile of things he had to not be proud of. But then Grant had a vision – it was of Lucas, Elizabeth, and Little Jack walking together after church. Bouchard was as apt to carry little Jack as he was to walk beside him, and when they were together, the little boy loved his Buddy with all of his heart. He was so excited that they were to be a family and were inseparable, with Lucas taking days off work just to be with him – to give that little boy the life he himself had never had. And he loved him. Now, thanks again to Nathan's action, the boy would be deprived not once but twice of the father that he deserved, three times if he counted himself. Grant began to shake and tears again filled his eyes as he considered the thought. What have I done?

He turned and looked at the photo of Allie and stood, dropping the album to the floor. Pacing, he looked back and forth between Allie's picture and the door. If he left, they could kill her. If he didn't, they could do it anyway – or she could survive. But Lucas would die either way, and it's possible that they wouldn't kill her, particularly if he could get Bouchard to safety before the tragic event would occur. They could issue a false story, a lie, and then when she called back, they could trace where she was and send the Mounties out to arrest her – to arrest them -and it would all be over. He had to try.

Rushing out his front door, Nathan mounted Newton and took off for the Mountains.

In the Mountains, Bill Avery was having a deep conversation with Superintendent Walker about the case and particularly about the Hagerty Trust and Jimmy Hagerty, Jr.

"I'm surprised you don't remember him," Walker replied. "Jimmy Hagerty was one of the most notorious outlaws in the 1860s."

Bill laughed. "Well, I'm not that old. I wasn't even ten years old when the Civil War was ended."

"I guess that's right," he responded. "Hagerty was the leader of the Schuylkill Rangers, a group of Irish Pirates on the Schuylkill River in Eastern Pennsylvania. A real ruffian who escaped the lawman's hand on multiple occasions, once in the courthouse. He was politically well-connected for some reason, just what we never figured out, but he got a pardon for his crimes with the condition that he leave the state. He went to New York but eventually came back and continued his robberies and mischief. Eventually, he was killed in a bar fight in New York in 1871."

"Early 1870s, the Hagerty Trust," Parker observed. "Think the trust went to his children? Made up from his illicitly gained earnings?"

Walker nodded. "Jimmy Hagerty, Jr. used to farm in our area. He was a lot of trouble and I'd say that the apple didn't fall far from the tree. He had a sister, too, whose name was Maggie or Mattie or something like that. A pretty young woman. Last I heard, she moved to France and married a businessman."

"Do you know where Hagerty is today?"

"No. He and his thugs robbed a stagecoach and killed the driver. That was around aught eight, I think. We looked for him for a while, but the Hagertys are part of a deep underground crime web, and I think some of the other Irish families protected them. It's been years since I've heard anything about him. It'd be something if he's the one involved in Molary's murder – actually, it would pretty much fit his methods. Would fit them quite well."

"Now that the Mounties are taking over this case, we need to get you back to Capital City and try to repair the damage you've done to your reputation before they kick you out of the Governor's mansion and all of my work has been in vain," Edwin said, as Lucas listened on his ascent to the Mountains. It had begun to drizzle a little but the heavy rains were forecast for later in the day, but still Lucas tried to maintain focus as he drove.

"I'm sure you'll come up with an adequate statement to cover for me," Lucas said.

"Governor, I don't think you understand the gravity of your situation. They are going to impeach you on grounds of immorality."

"But we did nothing immoral."

"You kept a single woman whom you used to be involved with in your cabin."

"For her protection."

"It doesn't matter. She was in your cabin, alone, at night…all night."

Lucas sighed. "Well, I can't help if their minds are in the gutter. I couldn't just let her die."

"And you didn't. You did your good deed, and now we can move on."

"Once she's safe and, we figure out who killed Malory."

"Lucas Bouchard!" Edwin screeched. "This case is now with law enforcement where it belongs, and you need to get back to governing, which is where you're supposed to be. I swear he said you were a novice, but I never knew how much."

"Who?" Bouchard said, his car taking the first turn of three before a descent would occur. The road was getting slightly slick as he drove, and the vehicle was making a little more noise than usual as its wooden spoked wheels clacked along the rocky roadway, and the engine worked overtime to make the climb.

"Oh, never mind," Edwin said.

Bouchard turned to him. "Who? Who have you been talking to? Tell me."

"It doesn't matter," Edwin replied as Lucas made the next turn, and the car made a small creaking noise. The noise captured Lucas's attention, but Edwin's continual talking kept him from questioning it too much.

Meanwhile, Nathan and Newton sped as quickly as they could to reach the summit. If he could get there before Lucas made his descent, he knew he could avoid calamity. What he would tell him once he caught him, he'd figure out later.

Up ahead, Jeanette Aucoin looked out the back of the van, watching Bouchard's car behind her and Henry's Cobalt Buick a small way behind him. Her trip had been surprising to her – that not only Lucas would go through such trouble but also his friend Parker Scott, whom, if Aucoin were being perfectly honest, she found extremely handsome the moment she laid eyes on him. And then, he turned out to be so nice…why, she could truly go clean if she was with a man like him.

"You need to tell me," Lucas said. "Who were you talking to about me? Are you talking to my enemies? Is it Balfour?"

"No! Don't be silly! Bixby wants to run again, that's true, but I have nothing to say to that blowhard."

"Then how do you know he's running? Is it Montague? Have you been speaking with old Monty?"

Edwin shook his head, finally throwing his arms in the air. "Fine! I spoke with Monty a few weeks ago, over lunch, when the legislature was meeting. He wants to try to do business again with you…"

"Not a chance."

"Now, Lucas, listen…"

"No, you listen. Montague is not a scrupulous businessman, and he's not the kind of person that I want to be involved with at all."

He made the second turn, and the squeaking got louder.

"Do you hear that?" Lucas asked

"Yes. It's a noise," Edwin replied. "You just had it serviced, so who knows. About Montague…"

"Now you're sure that the guys who run the system over in Capital City have no control over your jail?" Parker asked, worried

"Positive. We had run-ins with that team once before, and headquarters has been quite clear: they're to give us a wide birth."

"Good to know," Henry said. "The penitentiary system out there leaves much to be desired. Hate to see her go through that."

"She'll be safe with us," Walker responded.

Nathan and Newton finally caught up with Lucas's car; only Grant was on the ridge, and Bouchard was on the road. To make matters worse, the rain started to fall harder making Newton's ability to navigate the muddy soil harder. But still, Grant pushed him. It was a matter of life and death. Taking off his hat, he began to wave it as a flag in the air to capture Bouchard's attention.

"I don't know why you have to still hold everything against him after all that's happened," Mitchell said to Bouchard who was now feeling a little play in his steering though assuming it was water.

"I would say draining a town of its water is reason enough to hold something against someone."

"But not forever," Edwin said. "It's just politics, Lucas. Everything happens in politics."

"Which is why I'm not a good match for it. I don't use 'it's just politics' as justification for doing wrong.

"That's not what I meant. What I was trying to say was…"

At that moment, Bouchard was taking the final turn, which was an S-shaped curve that began on the ascent and then banked deeply to the left as it began to descend, and it was then that they heard a loud snap.

Jeanette gasped as she watched Lucas's car suddenly jerk out of control, sideswiping the mountainside and then erratically weaving downhill as Bouchard frantically turned a wheel that didn't work.

Behind him, the four men in Henry's car were on full alert.

"He's got no steering," Henry said.

"He's applying his brakes," Walker replied.

And in Lucas's car, there was chaos.

"What's wrong?!" Edwin shouted. "You almost got us killed!"

"Steering's gone. The car won't respond."

"What?!"

As the car picked up speed going down the hill, Lucas watched as the mountain's edge grew closer and helplessly braced for impact.

"We're going to crash," he said, tapping his brakes, trying to get some form of control without spinning the car out completely.

"Oh, my!" Mitchell said, his eyes big as saucers, his body being jostled as the Dodge thundered down the steep decline. A few seconds before the cliff, Lucas made one last ditch effort to gain control of the car.

"Brace yourself!" he shouted, and Mitchell held to the dashboard as Lucas slammed his brakes, catapulting them into the rocky mountainside. An extended tree smacked into the front of the car, breaking the windshield and ripping the soft top of the car from its body, but the car kept going.

Suddenly everything was spinning as the vehicle turned itself a full three-hundred and sixty degrees just before it reached the edge, and on the now drenched surface, let go of the road and plummeted over a steep embankment, toward a ravine.

From in front of the car, Jeanette began to scream as tears poured, and she said, "Chére!" And in back, Henry slammed on the brakes as he watched his friend's automobile disappear over the edge of the Mountain. Nathan watched from above as the car hit the road's edge, slamming hard onto the rocky ground, busting through brush, and then hitting a boulder, which caused it to flip into the air and then slam back down, now rolling as it went. He stopped Newton on the cliff's edge and watched as the shiny black metal became mangled and torn, bouncing against trees and rocks and finally catching fire just as it reached the bottom. With one loud thud, it hit the base, and a fireball shot off, sending pieces of molten metal through the air as what once was Lucas Bouchard's car was incinerated, along with anything in it.

Shaking, Grant jumped off the horse, too horrified at what had happened to think. And then he saw Henry, Bill, Park, and Walker pulling down the road, and his eyes widened. Turning quickly, he remounted Newton and turned the horse around, heading home before he was seen. Bill thought he saw movement but dismissed it.

Henry came to a stop at the edge of the road, and all four men looked down at the burning car, well aware that nobody could have survived the explosion. Gowen turned away, first walking up to his own car and giving it as swift of a kick as he could while the others watched in horror.

"I can't believe it," Bill finally said. "How could that have happened?"

"They killed him. They really killed him." Parker said, his eyes not turning away from the wreckage.

Superintendent Walker looked up the road where his men had stopped the transport. Excusing himself he jogged to meet them and to tell them to go on. When he arrived, he saw Aucoin was in shock, mumbling words with a blank stare as tears flooded her face.

"Get her to the jail and call the medic. We need to keep her safe."

By the time he returned, the others had recovered at least a little decorum, as grim-faced they stood, not knowing what to do next.

"We have to find the bastards that did this," Henry said. "We have to bring them to justice."

"I agree," Walker said, catching up. "I'll make sure you have every man I've got until we do."

"I'm sure Andrew Hargreaves will do the same," Bill responded. "And, Nathan. I'm sure he'll want to help as well."

Parker continued to stand as the fire continued burning, creating a dramatic picture as the fading greens of Summer and the jutted rocks were illuminated by the orange hue of the flame which also danced along the adjacent waters of the Cascade River. He returned to Bill's earlier question. How could this have happened? It couldn't have been an accident. Someone had just assassinated his friend and the District's governor, as well as his assistant. Yes, there would be Hell to pay.

Taking a step back, Parker again walked toward the car reaching the back seat as Henry turned to say goodbye one more time.

"Goodbye, Lucas…" Gowen said, a tear trickling down his cheek. Henry ran his hand along his head and then bowed it to say a short prayer before getting into the car. He turned to go, then heard a soft but deep moan.